DOCTOR WHO: THE DREAM LOOM (A CHRISTMAS STORY)
by Anna Brelin
Summary: A short story featuring Euotis (The Doctor) as a child and a host of other characters. A short Christmas Story by Anna Brelin.


**Doctor Who: The Dream Loom (From The Pocket TARDIS: Tales Of Gallifreyan Childhood)**

 **Written by Anna Brelin**

 **The 12th Doctor** : Once, long ago, there was an old Gallifreyan scientist that possessed a very special machine. This machine, called a Dream Loom, had the ability to take things out of your dreams and weave them into reality, becoming real and tangible objects. These objects it would weave into existence were usually inanimate objects, like a blanket or a hat. But occasionally it would weave strange living creatures, which the scientist would use in his experiments. Eventually, the Gallifreyan scientist died, leaving his workshop and his dream loom to gather dust. Many years later, the scientist's workshop was discovered by a small group of Gallifreyan children. What led to this discovery you ask? You are about to find out:

The air was filled with the sweet smell of Amberfruit Cider and Roasted Gallifreyan Tree Boar, an aroma which was attracting more than just the local Gallifreyan population, but some of the local wildlife as well. Everything was all spread out on the tables which sat outside in the central courtyard at the heart of Primary House Lungbarrow.

It was the time of Kestristide, a mouth-long festival which included singing, dancing and craft making. It also included food and drink, lots of food and drink, an ever flowing bounty of strange brews in goblets, trays and plates of honey-glazed cooked meats, steamed vegetables, fruits, dumplings, sandwiches, soups, stews and desserts.

Euotis sat at one of the tables, taking in all the sights, smells and sounds around him, looking over the banquet before him.

He wanted so much to steal a piece of cave beast meat from one of the large silver platters, but knew that he had to wait until all the guests arrived.

Euotis thought for a moment as he eyed the meat platter in front of him, which was almost taunting him to grab a piece, 'Why should I have to wait? I am a hungry child. Surely they wouldn't mind if I...'

Euotis reached out with his right hand for a piece of meat, but was quickly stopped by Purvush, the host of the banquet, speaking to him from the far end of the table in Gallifreyan, "An'in ip'aae a'ose dak'uer! Na'oue ke'etia at'ane aqu!" (translated: "I see you boy! Don't even try it!").

Euotis pulled back his hand and walked off. He then quickly went to sit behind a stone wall just out of sight. He was about to reach into his left pocket when he heard a familiar voice, "You little thief, Euotis!"

Euotis jumped slightly and looked up. It was one of his much older schoolmates, named Nuwic. Euotis quickly spoke, "What do you mean, Nuwic? I took nothing."

"I would believe that had I not been watching with my father Purvush. You're rather good at pickpocketing aren't you?"

Euotis gave a nervous smile as Nuwic continued, "And you didn't take just one either. Which makes you a very talented pickpocketer."

"Oh please don't tell your father, Nuwic. I am so hungry. Surely your father won't miss a couple sweet meat dumplings. I didn't even eat any breakfast this morning."

"Which is exactly why you should eat breakfast, Euotis. So that you can wait, which is the polite thing to do. But you don't need to worry about me telling my father...this time. But don't let me see you do that again."

"Of course not, two is enough for me."

Nuwic then sat down next to Euotis as Euotis pulled out one of the sweet meat dumplings from his left pocket and quickly gobbled it down. Then another familiar voice spoke, "Look Druwas! Nuwic is sitting with little Euotis."

"Yeah, I notice Glix," said Druwas.

Euotis looked up and narrowed his eyes as Nuwic spoke, "You two again! I thought I told you two to stay away from the tables until the other guests arrive."

"Our parents are here, surely we can have some food now," said Glix, noticing Euotis was eating the second sweet meat dumpling he stole.

Nuwic shook his head, "You know the rules. All the guests need to be accounted for before we can touch any of that food. Host rules."

"If that is the case, then why are you letting little Euotis eat those dumplings he stole?" asked Druwas, looking at Euotis.

"Euotis is much younger than you two amoebas. Besides, he wasn't going to steal from the table again."

"And you know that how?" asked Glix.

"We Gallifreyans are telepathic you know. We just know," Nuwic then noticed another familiar face approaching and smiled, "Oh look, it's my friend Grex."

They all looked over at Grex, who was walking over to join them. Grex then spoke, "Nuwic, you should be watching the tables, not sitting with the Euotis boy. What if other children come along and steal from the tables? Your father would not be happy."

"Give me a break, Grex, I grow tired of watching the tables. When are the other guests arriving?"

"Most are here now from the attached family houses, but were still waiting on a few from the detached family houses."

"I hope they get here soon. I am getting hungry."

"You're not the only one, Nuwic," said Glix, who then looked at Euotis and spoke, "Where is your older brother Brax, Euotis? Or your fellow little friends Ushas and Koschei?"

"They are not little and neither am I!" said Euotis as he stood up and stared up at Glix angrily, trying to be tough.

Druwas and Glix giggled as Grex smirked. Nuwic was less amused, shaking his head at the others. Druwas then spoke, "Isn't it so cute when the little ones try to be tough? All talk and no action."

Euotis was about to say something when Nuwic spoke, "Euotis, they aren't worth it. You're not the only one who still needs to grow up a little."

Glix and Druwas narrowed their eyes at Nuwic before walking away together in a huff, going towards a small group of older children nearby. Grex then spoke, standing with his arms behind his back, "What does your friend Koschei see in those two, Euotis?"

"Probably something that we can't see, Grex. When you find out what it is, let me know."

Grex and Nuwic looked at each other and smiled. They were quickly warming up to Euotis. Purvush then rang a bell and called out to the gathering crowd, "Alright everyone, time for the feast. Everyone come to the tables and pick out what you want. Do not get seconds until everyone has gotten their first. Begin!"

All the guests quickly began to feast. Euotis was about to walk back over to the tables to try and sneak away more dumplings when he suddenly heard his father calling for him. Euotis ran towards his father, who was sitting on a blanket with Euotis's mother, Euotis's older brother Brax and the rest of Euotis's siblings.

Euotis spoke, sitting next to his father on the blanket, "Father, the guests are dinning now. I want to join them before all my favorite foods are gone."

Euotis's father spoke, smiling, "Not to worry my boy, we've already gathered all the food we need from the tables, thanks to your grandfather Quences," - Euotis's father grabbed an ambersweet cookie, which was the size of a coffee cup plate and gave it to Euotis, "Here my son, I know you like these."

Euotis took the cookie in both hands and began eating it. The other children soon followed, each taking an ambersweet cookie and eating it. Euotis's mother gave a sad smile as she looked at the children and spoke, "Look at them, Aerswell. They are going up so fast. Soon it will be Brax's turn in front of the untempered schism, then Euotis's turn. Are you sure they are ready for that?"

"Don't worry, my dear. They are more than ready to face the untempered schism. All Gallifreyan children have to face the untempered schism when they reach the age of 8."

"But what if it scares them? The untempered schism can be a frightening sight."

"You know what they must do to become what they need to be, my dear. You did it when you were 8 years old as did I."

"I suppose so, but I still worry about them."

"It will be alright. We're together now. That's all that counts. Besides, this is Kestristide. This is no time to be sad and worry about the future, we need to focus on the now. Come now my dear, give us a kiss."

Euotis's mother then smiled as she leaned over and kissed Aerswell. After everyone had eaten, they all began to work on some arts and crafts. Euotis and one of his younger sisters were busy making a colorful mask, decorating it with bits of bone, rough gemstones and bright feathers.

The other siblings then helped Brax decorate a fruiting tree with colorful floating light orbs, bits of bone and feathers. The children then made brightly colored paper lanterns and put candles inside them before lighting the candles up and sending the lanterns flying into the air.

They then traded brightly colored silk scarfs with their friends and started to sing and dance around the fire, drinking Lemonfruit Punch and telling stories. Soon, it was time for everyone to go home to take a break.

During this time of the Gallifreyan year, the southern hemisphere of Gallifrey was bathed in constant daylight, while the northern hemisphere was bathed in constant night.

Euotis and his family lived in the southern hemisphere, where it was constant day during the winter time. Euotis and his family soon headed for home. Back at Euotis's family's house, the family spent time decorating the fireplace mantle in the main living room, decorating it with the arts and crafts that the children made.

Without anyone noticing, Euotis snatched a couple sweet meat dumplings from the dining room table and ran up the stairs while the others stayed around the fire in the fireplace. Euotis then quietly opened a door to one of the guestrooms and spoke, "Innocet? Are you awake?"

"Is that you, Euotis?" said a familiar, gentle voice. Euotis smiled and opened the door. There, sitting on the bed was a fair-skinned little girl with auburn red hair and green eyes. Having been born only 4 days before Euotis was, she was the same age as Euotis but 4 days older in that age.

Her name was Innocet and she was Euotis's favorite cousin, a daughter of his favorite aunt Salpash. She was a very special member of the family, chosen at birth to be the next in line for the role of housekeeper of the Family House. As was tradition and according to an ancient Gallifreyan legend, the future housekeeper was not allowed to cut his or her hair until they became housekeeper or got married. Thus, Innocet's hair was very long and needed to be maintained at all times. She carried her hair in an extra-large hood on her back whenever she was outside, though at night she often let it hang down, which often hung all the way down to her ankles.

Since Innocet was under the weather, she was not allowed to go outside until she was better. Instead she spent most of the day exploring the Family House and studying astral maps, star charts and geological maps on Gallifrey, as well as a few other strange family documents that she had found in the House library. Innocet sat cross-legged on the bed with the maps spread out on the bed in front of her.

She cocked her head and smiled as Euotis spoke, "How are you Innocet? Are you better?"

"I am fine now, Euotis. I am just studying these maps in front of me. I do find studying astronomy and geology most fascinating."

Euotis handed Innocet the sweet meat dumplings he snatched from the dining room table downstairs. Innocet took one dumpling but gave the other one back to Euotis, "Here, we will share."

These dumplings were extra-large so they required both hands to eat them. Euotis continued, "You missed out on a community winter feast today, Innocet. There was a lot of good food and stuff to do."

"There will be other winter feasts before this Kestristide ends, Euotis. I will join the next feast."

"I hope so. I was missing you out there. With auntie Salpash about to have another child and unable to attend the festivities or watch over you, me and the family will have to look after you here until you're well enough to join in the festivities."

"I look forward to that time and to see my new brother."

"So what have you learned from these maps, Innocet?"

Innocet licked her fingers for a moment as she spoke, "Many things, Euotis. I discovered lots of old maps. But one map here baffles me," Innocet pointed at the strange map.

Euotis picked up the map and looked at it as Innocet continued, "It looks like a map that great-uncle Quences drew up when he was a child. From what I can tell, it is a map that leads to a location in the Cadonbarrow Forest, near a bend in the Cadonflood River not far from here. I am curious to know where this map leads, but I don't know if the family will let me to go outside."

"It looks like a treasure map. I can find out what it is, Innocet. I can show it to grandad Quences. Maybe he knows."

"Great-uncle Quences is not here. He went to The Citadel to attend a high council meeting."

"Oh dear,"

"So what will you do?"

"I suppose I can try to sneak out and find out. But it means that I might get in trouble with mum and dad. I'm supposed to be sleeping right now."

"I wouldn't want you to get in trouble on account of me, Euotis. Perhaps we can find out together later."

"I don't know, Innocet. Something tells me I shouldn't wait to find out and that there is something very special to be found. I think I will go check it out."

"But uncle Aerswell and auntie..."

"I can sneak out easy since they think I am asleep. I will be back soon, hopefully with some answers."

"Be careful, Euotis."

"I will. And knowing Koschei and Ushas, they have probably sneaked out of their family houses to go play in the field of red grass nearby. I will find them and bring them along."

"Good luck."

Euotis smiled and went out the guestroom door, closing the door behind him. He then sneaked down the stairs and looked into the living room, noticing that his mum and dad were still sitting in front of the large fireplace engaging in some intimacy.

Not wanting to see what was happening, Euotis covered his eyes and then slowly sneaked over to the main door, quietly opening the door and then closing it behind him. Euotis then walked down the path away from his family's house, going towards the location that the map was directing him.

"According to the map, there is a pile of large boulders covered in red moss down this path that I need to walk past before finding a fork in the path. I am supposed to take the right path into the Cadonbarrow Forest, then past the remains of a house that is..."

Euotis stopped. He had a funny feeling that someone was following close behind him. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, then suddenly spun around yelling 'arrgh!'

"Arrgh!" cried a familiar voice, who jumped a foot back. It was Euotis's older brother Brax.

Euotis spoke, "Brax! You're not supposed to be with me."

"And we're not supposed to be outside right now. What if mum and dad find out? They will be furious."

"I'm helping Innocet with something."

"By getting us into trouble?! You know we should be sleeping right now! I'm not going out on a wild quailgoose chase just because you're helping Innocet! Come, let's get back home."

"I need to solve this map for Innocet and I'm not going back till I do!"

Brax began to drag Euotis back towards the direction of home, but Euotis quickly broke free of Brax's grip and started running. Brax followed. Euotis soon ran past the moss covered pile of boulders and soon found the fork in the path. Going down the path that was mentioned on the map, he quickly started running again, with Brax following close behind yelling "Euotis stop! Come back here!"

Euotis quickly read more of the map as he spotted the run down house at the corner of another fork in the path, this time it directed him down the left path. He quickly ran, going deep into the Cadonbarrow Forest.

Then as he was running into a clearing, he stopped and looked around. This part of the forest was darker and thicker than he realized, where a thick ceiling of branches and leafs hung overhead. All around him were various beautiful and strange plants and animals, some of which had some various colorful bioluminescence about them.

Euotis had never been in this part of the forest before so he never really knew that such creatures and plants were there. He then realized that there was something oddly familiar about the place as he looked up at a vine covered structure at the far end of the clearing. He stepped towards it when suddenly - "Caught you, Euotis!" - Euotis was grabbed from behind by Brax. Euotis began kicking and protesting as Brax started to drag Euotis back to the path. But then suddenly, they started to hear what sounded like a little girl crying.

Brax, noticing the crying, suddenly lets go of Euotis and started to walk towards the structure as though he recognized the cry. Euotis soon followed.

Walking up to the structure, Brax looked inside through a dust covered window. The crying got louder. Brax soon found the source of the crying, who was sitting underneath a tree nearby next to the structure.

Brax spoke as he approached, "Ulana?"

The young fair-skinned girl lifted her head and looked up at Brax, "Brax? How...how did you know I was here?"

"I didn't. I heard you crying. Why are you crying Ulana? Did something happen at home again?"

Ulana nodded, "It's just getting worse, Brax. I don't want to be there anymore. Ever since the death of my brother, it's been so hard."

Euotis soon caught up with Brax and Ulana, though was quickly distracted by the map, which lead him to the vine covered structure.

Brax continued, "Why are you here, Ulana?"

"Well look around you, Brax. Do you not recognize this place?"

Brax looked around as Euotis found the door to the structure and tried opening it, pulling the vines away from the door.

Ulana continued, "This is a part of the Night Forest, Brax. A gathering place for the spirits. I thought that if I stayed here long enough I might find my brother here, wandering."

Brax continued, smiling, "I see, you're here because of the story of the Wandering. You believe that old Kestristide story, Ulana?"

"What is wrong with having a little hope that I might find my brother and bring him home? I know the old Kestristide story of the Wandering, Brax. I know what I must do to try and find my brother. This place is where all the spirits gather during Kestristide and before they wander into the fields for the time of Gift Light. If I can find my brother, Brax, I can take his spirit to a Loom and resurrect him. It will be a gift to my family and to my mother who bore him." - Ulana brought her head down and started crying again.

Brax then knelt down and took Ulana's hands into his, "I know the old Kestristide stories to Ulana, but that's all that they are, stories, legends. You can't honestly believe that there is any truth behind them."

Ulana looked up again, tears flowing down her face, "But there must be though, Brax. Every story has a spark of truth in it. But which part is true?"

Euotis then spoke as he kicked the door to the vine covered structure open, "Brax, Ulana? I think this is the place that is on the map."

Brax stood up again and walked over to Euotis, who was standing in the doorway of the vine covered structure. Brax then spoke as he looked inside the structure, "I recognize this place. This is the workshop of mad professor Jaegis. We shouldn't be here, Euotis."

Euotis looked at the map as Ulana stood up and walked over, curious about what was happening.

Euotis continued, "Grandad Quences made this map, Brax. There is obviously something important in this place. We need to investigate."

Ulana then spoke, "Mad professor Jaegis? Isn't he the one who invented The Dream Loom?"

"You know about that, Ulana? I thought only those that are a part Primary House Lungbarrow knew about Jaegis, since he is from a family of Primary House Lungbarrow," said Brax, looking at Ulana as Euotis stepped away from the doorway and went into the workshop, which was covered in dust and cobwebs.

Ulana continued, "All the family house communities in the Cadonflood River Valley know about Jaegis, Brax. It is an old local legend. From what I heard he invented the Dream Loom after having a dream about it. It is said that a Dream Loom can take objects from your dreams and weave them into existence, making them real objects. And not just inanimate objects either."

Brax then noticed Euotis playing around a bookcase in the workshop that was full of dusty old books and spoke, "Euotis, what are you doing?"

"According to the map, there is a small room behind this bookcase. I'm trying to find a way to open it," said Euotis, playing around with the bookcase.

Brax continued, "We need to get back home, Euotis, before our mum and dad finds us gone. And we need to get Ulana back home as well."

Ulana then spoke, "No, Brax. I won't go back there. Not until I have found my brother."

"Listen to me Ulana, it is just a story, a legend. You're going to have to accept the fact that your brother is gone and won't be coming back. You need to go home Ulana, your family needs you."

"No Brax, they need my brother. Only my brother can help me and my family now. I need to bring him home and I will stay here until I find him!"

Suddenly, there was a strange mechanical, whirring sound, which was coming from behind the bookcase. Euotis stopped and stepped back, standing next to Brax and Ulana. The trio watched as the bookcase suddenly began to slide open on its own, accompanied by the sound of moving gears.

The strange mechanical, whirring sound then stopped, revealing the opening to a small room. For a brief moment, the trio stared at the opening, then Euotis slowly began to approach.

Brax then spoke, staying next to Ulana, unaware that something was slowly sneaking up behind him and Ulana, "Euotis, we need to get back home, mum and dad are going to..."

But Euotis wasn't listening as he entered the small room, noticing a strange blue light shining on the floor from an unknown source. Euotis continued on until his eyes fell upon the source of the light, "Brax, Ulana, come and see this."

Ulana and Brax started to walk over to where Euotis was when suddenly, Brax froze, sensing something was behind him, "Euotis, something is touching my hand. I don't know what it is."

Ulana and Euotis looked back at Brax as the sound of clicking and shrilling was heard behind Brax. Ulana's eyes widened as she spoke, "What in the name of the goddess Kestrisardi is that?!"

Euotis stood next to Ulana as Brax slowly turned around to face what was standing behind him. Brax then looked down. Standing there and looking up at him was a strange creature with bioluminescent blue stripes running down the sides of its body.

It looked like a greyhound but with no eyes and with the long tentacles of a squid sprouting out from the top of its head and from the base of its spine at where its tail should be attached, its long tail tentacles trailing behind it. The bright bioluminescent blue spots running down the spine of its back and on its squid-like head and tail tentacles glowed brightly.

The creature continued to make clicking and shrilling sounds as Brax spoke, "Um, does anyone here know what this creature is? It's looking at me."

Ulana then spoke, suddenly realizing what the creature was, "It's not. At least not like you and me would," Ulana pointed at the creature's face, "See those thermal ridges on its face? It sees our body heat. The glowing tentacles sprouting from the top of its head and from the base of its spine are used not only to grab and hold into prey, but are used to carry things. It's an Atem'aeon."

Euotis's eyes lit up, "A Spirit-Keeper, a guardian of The Night Forest."

Brax then spoke, looking on nervously, "But I thought those creatures were only found in Shra Lunethra."

Ulana continued as the creature looked on, "They are. But they are also known to live in The Night Forest as well. They are able to communicate with the spirits as well as with living creatures and beings. They often speak for the dead as well as watch over their spirits. It's beautiful."

The creature made clicking and shrilling sounds as it looked on, cocking its head to one side for a moment, seemingly unthreatened by the presence of the trio.

The creature, the Atem'aeon, then began to frolic around the workshop as though it was wanting to play. It then suddenly frolicked around the trio then ran into the small room from which the strange blue light was coming from. The trio quickly followed, chasing after the creature.

Once inside the small room, they soon gazed upon what looked like a small metallic box which was the size, length and shape of a breadbox. The metallic box had glowing blue circular Gallifreyan writing all over it. It had a door on the front of it which slid open and a control panel of numbered buttons on the side of it. Brax spoke, "It looks like a Loom of some kind, though not like a Rassilon Loom or a Biological Loom."

"Could it be a sub-type of Loom? I do know of a few sub-types used for various purposes," asked Ulana, looking on.

"No, this is none of those. This is a new type of Loom. It's something different," said Euotis as the Atem'aeon reappeared and jumped onto the table.

It then sat on its haunches behind the strange metallic box, looking on as it continued to make clicking and shrilling sounds.

Euotis then continued, "This is professor Jaegis's Dream Loom."

Ulana spoke, "What? But how do you know that?"

"From the writing that is on the Dream Loom itself. I wonder..."

Euotis then reached out to touch the Dream Loom, which suddenly stirred to life when he touched it. Suddenly, the Dream Loom began to act as though it was weaving something inside it. The trio stepped back and watched as the Dream Loom made strange clockwork noises, as though clockwork was moving about in it. After about a minute, it stopped and the door on the front of it slid open by itself.

Euotis reached inside and pulled out what looked like a throw blanket of some kind, iridescent blue in color which sparkled and shimmered as though a million stars were trapped inside it, "This...this is the blanket I dreamed about the other day. I remember now. I dreamed that my father wrapped me in a blanket made of stars after getting stuck out in the rain. And here it is, an object from my dreams brought into reality. It looks like a night sky full of stars, but in blanket form. It's beautiful."

Brax then stepped up to the Dream Loom and touched it. Once again, the Dream Loom reacted as though it was weaving something, with the clockwork inside it moving. After a minute, it stopped once more and the door slid open again. Brax reached inside and pulled out what looked like a full paint set, complete with brushes and a palette. But this was no ordinary paint set. Not only were the paints erasable, but were of bright bioluminescent colors that neither Ulana nor Euotis had ever seen before.

Brax eyes lit up, "I remember! I dreamed that I was painting a picture with a paint set full of colors never seen before in the living world. The colors of the spirit world! I made a mistake on the picture and used an eraser to erase it. Look! It's even got the erasers! I wonder what else this Dream Loom can make."

Brax was about to touch the Dream Loom again when suddenly the Atem'aeon stood up and began to growl, barking angrily at Brax. Brax and Euotis quickly stepped back, suddenly getting the message to stay back. The Atem'aeon then looked at Ulana as though it was communicating with her telepathically.

Ulana then spoke, "The Atem'aeon wants us to follow it."

"To where?" asked Brax, looking over at Ulana.

"To the field of red grass situated at the edge of the Cadonflood River."

"But I don't know of any field of red grass situated next to the river," said Brax.

Euotis then spoke, "I do. Me and Koschei sometimes play in it. It's surrounded on three sides by forest and bordered by the river on one side. I know where it is."

The Atem'aeon then jumped off the table and ran out the main door to the workshop. The trio quickly followed. Euotis led the way towards the field of red grass that bordered the edge of the Cadonflood River, going through an area of the Cadonbarrow Forest before reaching it.

Once there, Euotis stepped out onto the field and spoke, "This is it. The only field of red grass I know of that borders the Cadonflood River. But why are we here Ulana?"

"I don't know, Euotis. The Atem'aeon told me to come here."

The trio watched as the Atem'aeon began to walk over the field towards the edge of the Cadonflood River. After sniffing the ground next to the river and walking in a circle for a moment, the Atem'aeon began looking out over the river. The other side of the river could not be seen as there was a thick fog hiding it.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then suddenly, Brax pointed and shouted, "Look at that!"

Euotis and Ulana looked over at what Brax was looking at. From out of the fog came a strange but familiar sight. Orbs of light, numbering in the thousands, began to appear from out of the fog. They began floating over the field of red grass, floating in all directions.

A few of the light orbs then began floating around the trio as Brax then spoke, "Are these...spirits?"

"I think they are," said Euotis with a smile, "These are the spirits that have come for Gift Light. I never knew that this was where they crossed to come into the living world. It's remarkable."

Ulana continued, "Not all Gallifreyans choose to be saved in the Matrix. The first spirits to cross over into the living world for Gift Light are the spirits of infants and children, many too young to have been saved in the Matrix."

Euotis then spoke, "So they go to Shra Lunethra, The Spirit World, where they can have eternal peace."

Ulana then knelt down as the Atem'aeon approached her. Ulana then spoke, speaking to the Atem'aeon, "Is my brother among the spirits here? Can you help me find him?"

The Atem'aeon then turned and frolicked away into the field. It then acted as though it was looking for something, sniffing the ground and the air. Then, near the center of the field, a few of the light orbs began to float down to the Atem'aeon as though being called down to it. Then with the tentacles on its head, it grabbed hold of one of the light orbs in the group.

Ulana then remembered something, "Yeah, that's right. It's time for another turn."

"What is it, Ulana?" asked Brax, looking over at her.

Ulana continued, "Well, according to the customs of Shra Lunethra, because even the spirit world has customs, every 9 years around the time of Gift Light, the spirit of a dead Gallifreyan is allowed to come back from Shra Lunethra to be resurrected. They call such Gallifreyans, Una'ulde."

"The Chosen Few," said Brax, looking on. Then another familiar voice was heard behind the trio. The trio turned to look behind them, only to see that it was Nuwic, standing with his arms crossed, "I was the last Una'ulde to be resurrected, 9 years ago. And now it is that time for another."

Nuwic looked down at the Atem'aeon and spoke, smiling, "Hello old friend."

The Atem'aeon frolicked over to Nuwic, purring and shrilling as Nuwic petted it. He then noticed the light orb or spirit that the Atem'aeon was holding in its tentacles. Nuwic continued, "Ah, they want to come back. That is a good thing."

Ulana pointed at the light orb and spoke, "Is that my...?"

Nuwic smiled, "Yes it is. The spirit of your brother lives and glows inside the light orb. Now all we need to do is give him the option on which way he wishes to be resurrected. There are so many options, but since he is so young, you might have to choose for him, Ulana. How do you wish him to come back?"

Ulana thought about it for a moment, then spoke, "My brother died not long after he was born. He was the first male child born to my family in over 500 years, so he was very precious and important to my family. Everyone suffered a great feeling of loss when he died and things haven't been the same without him. I think he knows that we want him back as quickly as possible."

"He does."

Brax then spoke, suddenly struck by a thought, "The Dream Loom, Ulana! Surely it works like any regular Loom. You can use it to resurrect your brother."

Nuwic continued, "According to the local legends about Professor Jaegis, he fed the DNA of two different fauna species into his Dream Loom, from the DNA of which it wove a new species. Even if we could clean and prepare the Dream Loom to perform such a task, we will still need the DNA of Ulana's parents for it to weave a proper, genetically related body. Blood would be best, but any form of DNA will work such as hair or skin."

"How do you know that, Nuwic?" asked Euotis, looking on.

"I am well learned on how a Loom works, Euotis. I know. So what do you want to do Ulana?"

Ulana thought for a moment then continued once more, "I would need to go back home and get a hair sample from both my parents. Would a strand of hair from both parents do?"

Nuwic continued, "It will. But you should know a few things when it comes to the Looms, Ulana. Being born from a parent forges a special bond between parent and child as well as a special connection to the spirit world, whereas in the case of those who are loomed it is different. Furthermore, those born from Looms are born without belly buttons. He might be treated differently than those born from a parent."

"I know that, Nuwic and I know how it will affect him."

"I'm not saying that there isn't a strong intimacy nor a deep connection when born from the Looms, but it will determine how he is treated and how he sees the world, as well as how he connects with it. Looms may be quicker to produce Gallifreyans, but they're not always the best way. Though for some Gallifreyans there is no choice, for life born from the Looms is all that they know."

Ulana continued, "What does my brother want me to do?"

The Atem'aeon looked up at the light orb in its tentacles for a moment then looked up at Nuwic. Nuwic then spoke, "He wishes to know how dire the situation is."

Ulana looked at the light orb and spoke, "It's bad, very bad and it's only getting worse. They need his help badly, especially mum."

The Atem'aeon looked up at the light orb again for a moment, then back at Nuwic. Nuwic then continued, "Then he knows what you need to do. Go home and get hair samples from your parents while I clean and prepare the Dream Loom," Ulana nodded her head as Nuwic looked over at Brax and Euotis, "As for you two, I strongly suggest that you go home before your parents find you missing, if they haven't already."

"But what about the location of the Dream Loom?" asked Euotis.

"No worries, Euotis. I know where it is. Now go before I change my mind about telling your parents that you've been gone from your house during Sleeping Time."

Brax tugged on Euotis's sleeve, "I think he means it, Euotis. Come on, let's take our gifts and go home. We'll get into trouble if we are missed. We'll find out what happens later, come on."

Euotis and Brax then quickly turned and ran down the path away from the field, leaving Nuwic, Ulana and the Atem'aeon alone. After a few minutes of walking, Brax and Euotis quietly sneaked back into their Family House, only to find that their father was in the large living room, discussing about Looms to some of his friends.

Brax quietly sneaked upstairs with his new paint set, but Euotis stayed back, listening to what his father was saying.

Euotis's father, Aerswell, spoke, "I know that Jorvad, but the Looms are not for everyone, they never have been. Sure there was a time when they were the only means of reproduction, but then the curse was lifted and we were no longer sterile."

Jorvad continued, "You mean the cure for the virus that caused the Gallifreyans to become sterile was found, and by a member of your own family."

"Quite so. But not all the Gallifreyan families managed to be cured, possibly because the virus was too far advanced in their bloodline."

Another one of Aerwell's friends spoke, "Which is why we still have Looms, used by those Gallifreyan families who are still unable to bare offspring naturally."

Aerswell continued, "True but you must understand. Some Gallifreyan families reproduce through Looms either by choice or because of their religious beliefs, even though they've long since been cured of the virus. The Looms have become a secondary method of reproduction, mainly used for emergency purposes."

"But all Gallifreyan Family Houses have a Loom, Aerswell, being either a Rassilon Loom or a Biological Loom. Even your own family has a Biological Loom."

"As they all should, in case the planet Gallifrey experiences a huge loss in Gallifreyan population or the family is wiped out in some way."

Jorvad continued, "Like in the case of The Dark War? And the time of The Pythia death-curse?"

Aerswell continued, "Yes, that was a bad time for the Gallifreyans. We needed the Looms then and some of us still do. But that was then, now it is different. And let it be known by all who sit in this room now - those born from the Looms have their beliefs and those born from a parent have theirs. You know that all too well Jorvad."

"I do, but me and my wife were glad that we did since my wife is unable to conceive naturally."

"Because the family that she comes from are without the ability to conceive. Which makes the Looms yours and your wife's only option when wanting to have children. But in the case of others, the Looms are not the only option."

Aerswell then glanced over at the doorway to the living room, sensing that Euotis was there. Aerswell then smiled as he continued, "Oh my friends, have you met my son, Euotis?"

Euotis gasped as he tried to hide but his father called him out. Euotis stepped out, clutching the blanket he got from the Dream Loom. Everyone in the living room then looked at Euotis as Euotis stepped out and spoke, "I...was just getting a blanket for Innocet. She said that she was cold."

Aerswell spoke, "Oh is that so? Well then it's best that you hurry along and give Innocet her blanket. Off you go then, Euotis."

Euotis nodded then quickly ran upstairs to where Innocet was. Euotis had gotten away but sensed that his father wasn't believing what he had said. Euotis cringed slightly, suspecting that his father would be having a chat with him later. Euotis soon went to the door to the guestroom where Innocet was. This time, Euotis found Innocet peering over some holographic books about old Gallifreyan stories, legends and nursery rhymes. The images in the books were animated and in three dimensions.

Euotis stepped into the room, "Innocet?"

"Euotis, you're still awake? You need to sleep before the next feast."

"I'm not sleepy. Innocet, you won't believe what me and Brax found…" – Euotis then told Innocet about his trip, about Ulana, The Dream Loom and all that had happened. Innocet smiled, "Good, you learned something about a custom of the Spirit World. It is time for another Una'ulde Gallifreyan to be resurrected. It is a Kestristide custom of their own."

"But what's the story behind the custom? Why do they do it and why every 9 years?"

Innocet picked up one of the books that she was reading and opened it, "Do you know about the goddess Alubalada?"

"The Life Weaver? The Loom Goddess of Life and Fate?"

"That's her. It is said that she brought about the custom of the Una'ulde. It is also said that she helped bring about the first ever Kestristide festival long ago, with the help of Kaluestia, The Goddess of Winter. According to legend, a war broke out between the spirit world and the living world. So Alubalada would send spirits of dead Gallifreyans chosen to return to the living world to act as ambassadors of the spirit world, with a new ambassador being sent every 9 years as a way of keeping the peace between the two worlds. So every 9 years, around the time of Gift Light, a dead Gallifreyan from Shra Lunethra comes back to the living world to be resurrected. That's all I really know about the custom and the reason behind it. But I think that there is another reason for the custom."

"Which is?"

"I think that they are resurrected for the purpose of aiding loved ones and family who are suffering from great loss or turmoil, being given back to their families as gifts. But then I'm not sure. Ulana's brother has been chosen to come back, possibly because his family is going through turmoil or because he has chosen to come back to his old family. You did say that things have gotten worse with Ulana's family. Perhaps the return of her brother to her family will help with that. But like I said, I'm not sure."

Euotis smiled, then threw the blanket he got from the Dream Loom around Innocet. Innocet then continued, wrapping the blanket around her, "What…what is this for? Where did you get such a beautiful blanket?"

"This is Kestristide, Innocet. It is a time for bringing loved ones together and back to their families."

Back at Professor Jaegis's old workshop, the light orb holding the spirit of Ulana's brother was held in the center of a stasis ring, which produced a stasis shield around it, protecting the light orb. Nuwic was waiting for Ulana to return with the DNA samples, but he was waiting for longer then he should have been.

The Atem'aeon sat on its haunches next to the main door to the workshop, looking out over the forest beyond. Then suddenly, the Atem'aeon stood up and acted as though it was reacting to something, clicking and shrilling loudly. Nuwic looked over and spoke, "What is it, old friend? Is there something wrong?"

The Atem'aeon looked at Nuwic as though telepathically communicating with him. Nuwic's eyes widened as he spoke, "Yes, yes of course. I forgot about that part. This is indeed Kestristide. Not only a time for families to be together and a time to bring loved ones back to their families, but also a time of spiritual learning and spiritual healing. Ulana told her father when I told her not to."

Nuwic's mind flashed back to the moment just before sending Ulana to get the DNA samples, standing in the field of red grass with the Atem'aeon:

Ulana protested, "But why can't I tell them? They need to know! My family has been suffering for far too long, Nuwic! We need to prepare for my brother's return!"

Nuwic replied, "You don't understand the consequences to telling them to soon, Ulana. You know the story of the Wandering, Ulana. You know what happens when you speak of such things to the returning Gallifreyan's family to soon, it causes trouble, more trouble than you want or need right now."

"I know that Nuwic, but I just feel that they have a right to know."

"Everything has a price, Ulana. And there are certain things that you cannot get for free."

Nuwic flashed back to the present:

"And now Ulana is in trouble. You must save her!"

The Atem'aeon looked at Nuwic as though it wanted to leave.

Nuwic smiled then spoke, "You know what to do old friend. Go, save her. I will watch the light orb."

The Atem'aeon then hissed and ran out the main door to the workshop, going towards where Ulana was.

Nearby, standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Cadonflood River, Ulana's father looked over the edge of the cliff at the river bellow as he held Ulana captive in his arms. Ulana's mother and a few other members of Ulana's family were a few feet away, pleading at Ulana's father for Ulana's release.

Ulana's mother spoke, "Please my love, don't do this! Let our daughter go! Why are you doing this? What's wrong?"

Saying nothing, Ulana's father continued to look over the edge of the cliff at the river below, holding Ulana close to him. Ulana then spoke, "I am sorry father, I should not have told you so soon. Please, let me go. Mum needs me."

Ulana's father than spoke, "Quiet child! I am saving you from a life of misery!"

Ulana's mother then continued, "Please my love, let her go! What did she tell you? Why are you doing this?"

Ulana's father then spoke, looking at Ulana's mother, "Our son is coming back to the living world my love, but me and our daughter cannot be here to see his return. We must go, we must pay the price. Our son has been chosen to become a Una'ulde, thus I must become an Ari'aeku. I have chosen our daughter to become a Una'hru, to save her from any further misery. Do not worry my love, I will protect her in Shra Lunethra."

Ulana's uncle then spoke, "My brother, listen to me. The story of the Wandering is just a story. All you will do is kill yourself and your daughter. Please let her go and come down from there. Your son is gone and will not return."

Ulana's father continued, "I know you blame me and my daughter for the death of my son. The curse that flows through our veins that is like poison to any male offspring born to our family. But if we go my brother, we will free the family of the curse and my son will return to the family. The price must be paid, my brother, me and my daughter must go."

Suddenly, the Atem'aeon appeared and leaped onto Ulana's father, leaping onto his back. This caused him to let go of Ulana, who quickly ran towards her mother as the Atem'aeon leaped off again, turning to face Ulana's father, hissing loudly at him.

Ulana's father looked down at the Atem'aeon, which then looked at Ulana's father as though telepathically communicating with him. Then suddenly, a strange sound began to fill the air around them. It was a soft, resonating sound which reverberated through the air as about two dozen light orbs began to appear and hover around Ulana's father, bathing him in there eerie light. Ulana's father, looking at Ulana and her mother, then spoke, "I will see you all again in 9 years, when the next Una'ulde is chosen. Goodbye my family."

And with that, Ulana's father smiled for a moment before turning suddenly and running over the edge of the cliff in a leap of faith, his arms outstretched to the flowing river below. Ulana cried out, "Father!" as her father fell into the river, vanishing under the churning surface.

Ulana ran to the edge of the cliff, yelling out for her father as she looked down at the river below. But he was now long gone, on his way to Shra Lunethra. The light orbs that were hovering around Ulana's father then started to hover around the Atem'aeon. The Atem'aeon then looked up at the light orbs as though communicating with them for a moment in a series of clicks and shrills. The Atem'aeon and Ulana then looked at one another for a moment as though communicating with one another. Ulana then nodded and smiled at the Atem'aeon before the Atem'aeon itself leaped over the cliff, vanishing into the river below.

Ulana's mother then came up to Ulana and knelt down next to her. Ulana then spoke, "Father has gone to Shra Lunethra to become an Ari'aeku. The Atem'aeon will accompany him during his 9 year journey through Shra Lunethra as his companion in order to protect him. Father will be alright."

Ulana's mother then spoke, "But what of your brother, my daughter? Where is he?"

Ulana looked at her mother and smiled, "Don't worry, mother. I will go get him. I will be back soon."

A few minutes later, Ulana came to the workshop, bringing with her the DNA of her parents. Nuwic then spoke as he used some equipment in the workshop to extract the DNA, "So it is done then?"

"Yes, my father is gone Nuwic, long gone, gone into the cleansing waters of the river," Ulana then spoke through her tears as she cried, "Oh why did I have to tell my father about my brother coming back when I knew what was going to happen? I don't even know if my father made it to Shra Lunethra. I am so worried about him. What if he doesn't even come back? My brother will never know him."

Nuwic smiled and spoke, "No, don't cry Ulana. He is in a better place now, you should be happy for him. Besides, you will see him again in 9 years when the next Una'ulde is chosen. He will come back Ulana, I know he will."

"But who left when you returned, Nuwic? When you we're chosen as a Una'ulde?"

Nuwic looked away, looking back at the equipment in front of him, "My elder brother, Toravan. Everyone in our family blamed him for my death, but in truth, I was actually the one at fault. So when the time of the next Wandering came, he went looking for me, on the field of red grass by the river. He was only 11 years old at the time, already a junior pupil at the Academy. But he knew that he wasn't going to be there for long. My brother was gone for days trying to find me, since it was nearing the time of Gift Light and knew that he only had a short time to find me. He eventually found an injured Atem'aeon, near the edge of the Night Forest.

He tended to the creature's wounds and helped the creature get better. The Atem'aeon then helped my brother find me among the rest of the wandering ones. My brother then placed my light orb inside of a spirit lantern and carried me back to our family. Then when our family was asleep, my brother took some hair from our mother and father and extracted the DNA from it. He then fed the DNA into our family's Biological Loom before he placed my light orb inside it.

He then left a note with our parents telling them that he had brought me back and that he had to leave to become an Ari'aeku. Our family went looking for him by the river, but he was nowhere to be found. He was long gone. Then about a month later, I emerged from our family's loom, reborn. Everyone in our family was happy to see me, but also sad at the same time. But our family knew what my brother had done and the price that had to be paid. So here I am, waiting for my brother to return."

Nuwic then focused back on the microscope in front of him as Ulana spoke, "And what is the price, Nuwic?"

Nuwic looked up from the microscope and replied, "Time."

And with that, Nuwic took the DNA the extracted from Ulana's parent's hair and fed into the Dream Loom. He then placed the light orb of Ulana's brother into the Dream Loom before punching in a numbered code on the control panel, "Ready Ulana?"

Ulana nodded. Nuwic then activated the Dream Loom and stepped back as the Dream Loom began to weave, the sound of the clockwork inside it moving wildly. The Dream Loom began to glow brightly. Then there was a sudden flash of light, causing Nuwic and Ulana to shield there eyes. Then all went silent.

A few minutes later:

Ulana's mother and other members of Ulana's family are sitting in the main living room of their Family House, trying to comfort one another. Ulana's uncle sat in a corner of the living room, playing a sad but beautiful song on a Hariviola, which was a Gallifreyan stringed instrument that was played like a harp but held like a violin. Then the music suddenly stopped when the creaking sound of the main door opening was heard.

Everyone in the living room quickly looked over at the door, where Ulana and Nuwic stood, looking at Ulana's family in silence. Ulana then smiled and looked down at the bundle that she was holding in her arms. It was Ulana's newborn brother, cooing in her arms.

Suddenly, a flurry of voices burst forth from the members of Ulana's family as Ulana's mother ran up to Ulana, with tears running down her face, crying out, "Ulana! My son!"

One of Ulana's cousins then spoke as Ulana gave her newborn brother to her mother, "By the goddess Kestrisardi, the story of the Wandering is true!"

The family could hardly believe their eyes as Ulana's mother brought both Ulana and Ulana's brother into the living room. Ulana quickly looked back at Nuwic, smiling at him for a moment. Nuwic smiled and nodded. Ulana then looked forward again, vanishing into the living room and into the crowd that waited there.

Nuwic then turned and left, closing the main door to the house behind him. Nuwic sighed as he walked away from Ulana's house and stood on the pathway that ran in front of Ulana's house. As he was about to start walking down the path back into the Cadonbarrow Forest, he heard a male voice coming down the path. Nuwic looked up at the source of the male voice - it was a young male adult Gallifreyan, wearing the clothes of someone who was well traveled and carrying a tattered sling backpack over his shoulder which had all his belongings inside it.

Then the male Gallifreyan spoke, looking down at something walking next to him, "What is it, old friend? Is there something wrong?"

Suddenly, an Atem'aeon that was a different color from the one that Nuwic was with earlier came galloping towards Nuwic, frolicking around him as though it wanted to play. The young male Gallifreyan, appearing as though he was about 19 or 20 years of age, then looked up at Nuwic and gasped.

Nuwic's eyes widened with surprise as he spoke, suddenly realizing who the stranger was, "Toravan?"

At first, the stranger had a stunned look on his face, then he smiled and spoke, "Nuwic."

Nuwic cried out with joy, "Toravan!" and ran towards Toravan. Nuwic then embraced Toravan, happy to see one another once more. The two brothers then headed for home together, where their family would be waiting for them and where they would once again be together as a whole, with the Atem'aeon that Toravan was with running alongside them.

 **Inside the TARDIS...**

 **The 12th Doctor:** "I found out 4 days later as to what had happened with Ulana and Nuwic. Ulana's brother was returned to his family, where he and his family lived happily from then on, including Ulana, who eventually married my brother Brax and had 5 children together, all natural born I might add, not loomed. As for Toravan, he too returned to his family with Nuwic, where stories of Toravan's wanderings in Shra Lunethra and all over Gallifrey are still being told to this day. Nuwic and Toravan would fight in the Time War and survive, both eventually getting married and having children of their own."

 **Bill** : "But what about Ulana's father? Did he manage to survive?"

 **The 12th Doctor** : "Oh he did. He became an Ari'aeku, with Nuwic's Atem'aeon by his side. He too returned to his family as well, 9 years later, when the next Una'ulde was chosen. Stories of his wanderings are also still be told by his family as well."

 **Bill** : "But the actual story of The Wandering and what Kestristide is all about. I would like to know more about them."

 **The 12th Doctor** : Well, Kestristide is a very special time for my people and the story of The Wandering is quite long and very old. Perhaps I will tell you more about them sometime. But for now, why don't we check out what Christmas is really like on planet Kallisaphine?"

Bill smiled as The 12th Doctor pulled the lever on the TARDIS console, sending the TARDIS flying towards their next destination.

 **THE END**


End file.
